"Haven't eaten yet, have you? I'm gonna whip up some lunch." Elisa spoke and then headed off to the kitchen in long strides.
Elijah glanced around the house. It was decorated in a minimalist style, with everything clearly laid out.
Rita, thinking he was looking for the guestroom, ran ahead to lead the way. "You can crash here." Elijah acknowledged her, but a picture frame on the dresser caught his attention. The picture within was of Albina and Violette, each cradling a baby. It was a happy family portrait.
He approached the dresser and picked up the frame for a closer look. In the lower right corner of the photo, it read, "We're one year old now." So, the two babies in the picture were probably one year old at the time.
One baby, in a tiny suit, the other in a white princess dress with a decorative crown, they were clearly a boy and a girl. Could they have been Ian and Rita?
"Hey, over here." Rita called from the doorway, "Come check out the bed I set up for you."
Elijah immediately put down the photo and strode over to Rita. The guest room was on the ground floor, facing south, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the outdoors. He only then noticed that the sky outside had turned gloomy.
"Check out this pink bunny pillow. Do you like it? My mom got me two, but my brother doesn't like them, so you can have one." Rita picked up a bunny-shaped pillow and showed it to Elijah.
Elijah, feeling her kindness, smiled, and said, "Thanks, Rita."
Rita blushed. For some reason, she found herself comfortably nestled in her father's arms, enjoying the sensation of being held high.
"I'm gonna take a shower." Elijah's face also turned a bit red.
"Oh... go ahead." Rita sprawled on the bed, and her big eyes were watching him. "Why are you crying? Are you missing my mom?"
"Ever heard of the resurrection technique from A Country?" Violette said calmly. "These ingredients need to be mixed in a specific proportion, then simmered at a low temperature, and cooled for your daughter's bath. But these are extremely precious in A Country, not something money can necessarily buy on short notice."
"I haven't heard of this. But if it works, no matter how precious, I'll get it." Silver King declared, commanding his men to start sourcing immediately.
Violette turned away, coughing violently. Silver King cast her a glance, then strode off.
Violette, having caught a chill last night, felt slightly feverish, but for the sake of the child in her womb, she refrained from taking medicine. Glancing at the sky outside, she knew she could last at most till tonight. If they didn't come to rescue her tonight, she wouldn’t see the dawn.
Once the body started thawing, it would soon start to rot. The so-called resurrection technique was just an excuse to buy time. She was betting her life on Elijah coming to save her.
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